Tiger Woods was not disqualified for taking an illegal drop during Friday's second round of the 2013 Masters, but he did take two-stroke penalty that put him five shots off the lead.

Tournament officials made their ruling this morning at Augusta National, then notified Woods in a meeting at the course. The Masters' rules committee, in a released statement, said they gave Woods a pass because they originally ruled that the drop was legal. That meant that he wasn't responsible for signing an incorrect scorecard, which would've gotten him disqualified.

Tiger Woods gets to keep playing this weekend after officials decline to disqualify him for a rule violation. (AP Photo)

At issue was whether Woods violated United States Golf Association Rule 26.1 on the 15th hole Friday.

Woods dropped a ball in the fairway after his approach shot on 15 hit the flagstick and rolled into a water hazard. By rule, Woods should have either dropped the ball in a designated drop area near the green; on a line between the flag and where the ball entered the water; or as close to the spot of the initial shot as possible.

Woods chose the third option, but he admitted after the round that he dropped the ball about two yards behind the original spot. Woods also appeared to drop the ball to the left.

"I went down to the drop area, that wasn't going to be a good spot, because obviously it's into the grain and it was a little bit wet," he said, according to a transcript published by ASAPsports.com. "So it was muddy and not a good spot to drop. So I went back to where I played it from, but I went two yards farther back and I tried to take two yards off the shot of what I felt I hit."

Woods' second-round score was now 73 following the decision, rather than the 71 he signed for on his scorecard. He is now five strokes behind leader Jason Day.